Mainebiz

W W W. M A I N E B I Z . B I Z 15 F E B R UA R Y 2 3 , 2 0 2 6 F O C U S S P O R T S / T O U R I S M / R E C R E AT I O N Liz Sohn was all smiles at an early December game she attended on a visit from Port Lucie, Fla., with seven- month-old daughter Tillie dressed in a green vest and pink pants for the youngster's first-ever basketball game. "I love going to TD Garden in Boston, but at the Maine Celtics it's a much more intimate arena," says Sohn, a stay-at-home mom who grew up in Gorham playing and coaching basket- ball. Had she taken Tillie to Boston instead, "I don't think it would have been as exciting for her senses." Carving a niche in a deep-rooted sport During hockey-game intermis- sions at Cross Insurance Arena, the small ground-floor retail store fills up with shoppers like Dan and Amanda Smothers of Gray in January. Both are first-time Mariners season ticket hold- ers who used to go to Portland Pirates games before that former franchise was sold and left town in 2016 to rebrand in Springfield, Mass. "I just got a new sweatshirt, a new hoodie," Dan says holding his Maine Mariners merch purchase, a slightly dif- ferent shade of green than the one he's wearing. "I saw it last night. ey didn't have it in my size, so tonight they had it." Today's Maine Mariners — not to be confused with two defunct teams of the same name — were founded in 2017 and started playing in 2019. e ECHL minor-league team is affiliated with the NHL's Boston Bruins and the AHL's Providence (R.I.) Bruins. Dexter Paine, a New York-based pri- vate equity investor with New England roots, and his wife Susan bought the Mariners from Comcast Spectacor in 2024 with a desire to bring home the ECHL's Kelly Cup. In business, you have a lot to keep your eye on. In business, you have a lot to keep your eye on. Sometimes it's hard to see the opportunities and the risks clearly. That's where Drummond Woodsum can help. We use a team approach — a small group of highly specialized attorneys focused on helping your business see what's ahead before you take that next step. It's extremely efficient and cost-effective, and an excellent way to get the legal insight you need when you need it. LEARN MORE about what our Business & Corporate Team can do for you. dwmlaw.com | 800.727.1941 A Different Way of Looking at Things 2026 New England Craft Brew Summit Sponsorship and exhibition opportunities available! Learn more at: mainebrewersguild.org Keynote Speaker Natalie Cilurzo Co-Owner and President of Russian River Brewing Company Friday, March 6, 2026, 8:00am-5:00pm Holiday Inn by the Bay, Portland, ME C O N T I N U E D O N F O L L OW I N G PA G E » As much as I'd love to just come up with wacky promotions, you can get bogged down in the finances. — Adam Goldberg Maine Mariners

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